Rotary steam-engine.



110,718,207. PATENTED JAN. 13,1903.

J. A. JENKINS & J. P. LORD.

ROTARY'STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19: 1902 K0 MODEL.

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WM IN I Snvzntoza QXJihwooeo v mm k I PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903. J. A. JENKINS & J. F. LORD.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 19 02.

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H0 MODEL.

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M I I UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB A. JENKINS AND JOHN F. LORD, OF BESSEMER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,207, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed May l9 1902.

T ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that We, JACOB A. JENKINS and JOHN F. LORD, citizens-of the United States,

residing vat Bessemer City, in the county of' Gaston, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rotary steam-engines, the details of which are hereinafter pointed'out in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of an engine embodying our improve ments. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinalcentral sectionthrough the engine.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the body or casing of the engine, comprising a part 1, having a central circular chamber 2 therein, and sideplates 3 and4, arranged at opposite sides of the central part and forming end walls for said circular chamber or cylinder. The side plates 3 and 4 are provided with suitable bearings 5 for a shaft 6, which extends axially through the cylinder, and upon said shaftwithin the cylinder is a cam-shaped piston 7 ,which fits'closely against the side plates 3 and 4, and its outer end 8 extends very close to the peripheral wall 9 of the cylinder. The piston is of course to be provided with suitable packing at the sides and end. The piston is of peculiar shape, the side 10, against which the steam acts, being comparatively fiat, while the side 11 is more rounding in form, as shown. Steam-inlet passage-ways 12 and 13 enter the cylinder at diametrically opposite points in its peripheral wall, these passage-ways having cut-off valves 14 and 15, respectively, arranged therein. Both steam passage-ways are, as shown, connected by branch pipes 16 and 17 to a common supply-pipe 18, having a hand-valve 19 therein. Exhaust passage-ways 20 and 21 are arranged at opposite points in the peripheral wall of the cylinder, the exhaust passage-way 20 being adjacent to the steam-inlet passageway 12 and the exhaust passage-way 21 being adjacent to the steam-inlet passage-way 13. These exhaust passage-ways are open at all times and communicate with suitable ex- Serial No. 108,001. (No model.)

haust-pipes 22. Between the passage-ways 12 and 20 is arranged an abutment-plate 23, which slides in suitably-packed grooves 24 in the side plates of the casing, and connected to said abutment-plate is a piston or plunger 25, movable longitudinally within a cylindrical steam-chamber 26. This chamber is connected by passage-Way 27 to the steam passage-way'12 between the valve 14 and the steam pipe 16. Steam is thus admitted through said passage-way 27 to the rear of the plunger at all times while the engine is in .motiomand the abutment-plate 23 is thus held constantly in contact with the rotary piston. Similarly, an abutment-plate 28, movable in guide-grooves 29, is constantly held in contact with the opposite side of the rotary piston by a plunger 30, movable within a tubular steam-chamber 31, to which steam is admitted by a passage-way 32 from the passageway 13 at a point between the valve 15 and the steam pipe 17. Bearings 33, of suitable antifriction metal, are provided for the abutment-plates.

The cut-off valves 14 and 15 are operated so as to admit steam to the passage-ways 12 and 13 alternately at the proper times by means of an eccentric 34 upon the engineshaft and-straps or collars 35, connected by rods 36 to lever-arms 37 upon the valve-stems 38. The engine, as shown in the drawings, is supported upon a base 39, to which it is socured by bolts 40.

The operation will be clear from inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this figure the piston is shown near the commencement of the stroke, the end of the piston having just cleared the passage-way 12 in its movement to the right, and the'cut-off valve 14is slightly open while the valve 15 is closed. Steam from the branch pipe 16 therefore enters through the passage-way 12, and the steampressure against the face 10 of the piston forces the latter around in the direction indicated by the arrow, the abutment-plates in the meantime being held in constant contact with the rotary piston and the steam being confined between the abutment-plate 23, the wall of the cylinder, and the face 10 of the piston until the end 8 of the piston passes the exhaust passage-way 21, when the confined steam will be permitted to escape from said passage-way. While the piston is making this partial revolution the steam-valve 14 opens to its fullest extent and closes before the end 8 of the piston passes the exhaustport 21. After the end of the piston passes the abutment-plate 29 and clears the steam passage-way 13 the valve 15 opens, admitting steam to the face of the piston, which steam is confined between the abutment-plate 28, face 10, and the peripheral wall of the cylinder until the end 8 of the piston reaches the exhaust passage-way 20, when the steam is permitted to escape, the valve in the meantime having opened to its fullest extent and again closed. It will be noted that both exhaust-ports. are open at all times, so that back pressure upon the piston is reduced to a minimum, and on account of the peculiar shape of the side 11 of the piston the steam, if any, remaining in the cylinder at the exhaust side of the piston will be forced gradually out by said curved face 11.

Cups 41, forming extensions of the steamchambers 31, are screwed into the ends of the casing, said cups forming chambers, within which the steam is compressed by the plungers and when the latter are moved outwardly by the rotary piston. The plungers are therefore cushioned by the steam on their outward strokes and pounding or rattling noises between the parts are prevented.

Having described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination with a casing having a steam-cylinder therein and two steam-inlet passage-ways having ports entering said cylinder at opposite points in its peripheral wall, said casing also having exhaust-ports in its peripheral wall adjacent to said steam passage-ways, and steam-chambers in said casing in the rear of said exhaust-ports connecting with said steam passage-ways, and with said exhaust-ports, of a shaft extending axially through the cylinder, a piston upon said shaft and having camsurfaces, a plunger within each of said steamchambers and an abutment-plate connected to each plunger and extending through the exhaust-ports and adapted to bear against the piston, cut-oil valves arranged within the steam passage-ways between the points of connection of said passage-ways with said steam-chambers, an eccentric upon the shaft and connections between said eccentric and valves whereby the latter are alternately opened and closed.

2. In a rotary steam'engine, the combination with a casing having a steam-cylinder therein and two steam'inlet passage-wayshaving ports entering said cylinder at opposite points in its peripheral wall, said casing also having exhaust-ports in its peripheral wall adjacent to said steam passage-ways, steamchambers in said casing in the rear of and connected with said exhaust-ports and communicating passageways extending from said steam passage-ways to said chambers at intermediate points of the latter, of a shaft extending axially through the cylinder, a piston upon said shaft and having cam-surfaces, a plunger within each of said steam-chambers and an abutment-plate connected to each plunger and extending through the exhaust-port and adapted to bear against the piston, cut-off valves arranged Within the steam passage-ways between the points of connection of said passage-ways with said steam-chambers, an eccentric upon the shaft and connections between said eccentric and valves whereby the latter are alternately opened and closed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB A. JENKINS. JOHN F. LORD.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. ORMAND, O. A. DAVIS. 

